Legal Secretary

threemuttleys

Im currently on Maternity leave with my lovely little man, and this time off has given me head space to reconsider my career.

I want to retrain as a legal secretary, does anyone here do this? or could anyone point me in the direction of a course (online or otherwise) I dont have very good GCSE's and no A Levels, will this cause a problem?

Many thanks

claire

LittleVoice

What are you currently trained to do?

Is the legal secretary role breaking completly new ground for you or do you already have other experience of word processing, diary management, telephone techniques . . . . . ?

thorsoak

Can you get some legal secretarial training at a local college? This would be your best way into this career.

You will need excellent english - impeccable spelling and grammar is a must - and your word processing speeds will need to be high - most London firms will not accept any speeds under 90 wpm - and a good telephone manner is also an essential.

Oldernotwiser

Depending on your definition of "not very good GCSEs", I'd start by making sure you have the essential 5 A-Cs including English and Maths, before doing a vocational course.

BOBS

Fast and accurate typing are both a must. Have you already done a secretarial skills course?

diable

as BOBS mentioned you should have those skills at least as a good legal sec will earn around £35k but it can be long and unsociable hours (used to do work for Norton Rose, Freshfields and Baker McKenzie so have an idea)

BOBS

diable wrote: »

as BOBS mentioned you should have those skills at least as a good legal sec will earn around £35k but it can be long and unsociable hours (used to do work for Norton Rose, Freshfields and Baker McKenzie so have an idea)

Oh to have that salary - live in Northern Ireland and doubt would get much more than £18k. Gave up work few years ago when had my own children and now childmind as couldnt afford to go out to work BUT if I coud get that kinda money I would be


Mind you when I did it I worked for an old fashion solicitor and shorthand was a big thing! I am sure noone even bothers with it any more!

diable

Some people still use shorthand but most now use dictaphones.

BOBS

diable wrote: »

Some people still use shorthand but most now use dictaphones.

I was much happier with dictaphones- the guy I worked for used to go off on one if a client had rubbed him up the wrong way and then dictated at the speed of light and it was almost impossible to get it all down - I was known to have a dictaphone in my pocket to try and catch the bits I missed!!

PasturesNew

diable wrote: »

as BOBS mentioned you should have those skills at least as a good legal sec will earn around £35k but it can be long and unsociable hours (used to do work for Norton Rose, Freshfields and Baker McKenzie so have an idea)

In my region, even the fully qualified solicitors don't get that much.

Legal secs get about £7.50/hour once fully qualified. Non legal secs get about £7/hour.

I'm a fully qualified and experienced secretary/PA, with RSA I, II and III and shorthand at court reporter speed, typing in excess of 100wpm without errors .... I've even taught the subjects to RSA III level. I would struggle to get a placement as a legal secretary temp because round my way they want people to have done some new-fangled course.

thorsoak

Obviously salary will depend upon where you live and can work - but in City of London, salaries can be up to £35k - but you will earn every penny of that! - I freelanced and could earn £15 per hour plus travelling!